Stillmatic
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Stillmatic is a hip hop album by Nas. It was released in December of 2001 and was Nas' fifth studio album, following 1999's I Am... and Nastradamus. Upon its release, Stillmatic was hailed by many hip-hop fans and critics as Nas's best album since his landmark debut, Illmatic.
Overview
In what was perhaps the most significant comeback in hip hop history since LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out, Stillmatic marked Nas' reemergence atop the rap scene, after many said his career was waning following his previous LP, Nastradamus (an album considered by critics to have been the most mediocre album in his discography). The success of the album resurrected Nas' career, as he has since released several successful and critically acclaimed albums. Well received by critics, Stillmatic received 5 mics from The Source magazine —a distinction set aside only for classic hip-hop albums. Since then, Nas remains one of the few hip-hop artists to have two 5 mic albums (Illmatic and Stillmatic).
Stillmatic was one of the most highly anticipated hip-hop albums of the year, primarily due to the fallout from Nas' heated battle with rival Jay-Z. Jay-Z had previously insulted Nas in his single "Takeover", taken from his September 2001 release, The Blueprint. At the time, the song's hard-hitting caliber was such that the song could have potentially ended Nas' career. On the contrary, however, the track seems to have merely served to reinvigorate Nas, as he responded with his own diss. On Stillmatic, Nas retaliated with the anticipated song, "Ether", a response to "Takeover" that labeled Jay-Z as both a sell-out artist, a hypocrite, and of stealing lyrics from Biggie. Several hip-hop aficionadoes believe Nas won the feud based on this track, which many felt was much more vicious and ruthless than "Takeover." Jay-Z would respond with the radio freestyle "Supa Ugly," which was not as well received as "Takeover" or "Ether."
The lead single from Stillmatic was "Got Ur Self A...", with a piano loop reminiscent of the music for a king's coronation and a sample from the well-known theme song of the HBO drama The Sopranos. The second single was "One Mic", which received acclaim for its content and video.
Track listing
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Stillmatic (Intro)" | Hangmen 3 Productions | "Let Me Be Your Angel" by Stacy Lattisaw, written by Narada Walden and Benny Hull |
| 2 | "Ether" | Ron Browz | "Fuck Friendz" by 2Pac |
| 3 | "Got Ur Self A..." | Megahertz Music Group | The theme to The Sopranos, "Woke Up This Morning" by Alabama 3, written by Burnett, Edwards, Marsh, Spragg, Black |
| 4 | "Smokin'" | Nas | |
| 5 | "You're da Man" | Large Professor | |
| 6 | "Rewind" | Large Professor | "It's Yours" by T La Rock, written by Rick Rubin; "I'm not Rough" by J Geils Band, written by Lil Hardin Armstrong |
| 7 | "One Mic" | Nas and Chucky Thompson | "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins |
| 8 | "2nd Childhood" | DJ Premier | "Born to Love" by Peabo Bryson, written by Peabo Bryson |
| 9 | "Destroy and Rebuild" | Megahertz Music Group | interpolations of "The Bridge is Over" by Boogie Down Productions, written by Lawrence Parker and Scott La Rock |
| 10 | "The Flyest" (featuring AZ) | L.E.S. | |
| 11 | "Rule" (featuring Amerie) | Trackmasters Entertainment | interpolations of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears, written by Chris Hughes, Roland Orzabal, and Ian Sanley |
| 12 | "My Country" (featuring Millennium Thug) | Lofey | |
| 13 | "What Goes Around" | Salaam "The Chameleon" Remi | |
| * | "Every Ghetto" (bonus track, featuring Blitz) |
The first pressing of Stillmatic featured "Braveheart Party", produced by Swizz Beatz and featuring Mary J. Blige and The Bravehearts, as track number eleven, between "The Flyest" and "Rule". "Braveheart Party" was removed from future pressings of the album as Blige stated that her vocals and the instrumental track were culled, without her permission, from unfinished recording sessions for her own album. As "Braveheart Party" was cited by many reviewers and fans as the weakest track on the LP, it was removed from the album without dispute.
The Japanese release of "Stillmatic" features three extra tracks; "No Idea Is Original," "Everybody's Crazy" and "Black Zombies" which are all found on The Lost Tapes, a Nas compilation album.
Album singles
| Single cover | Single information |
|---|---|
"Got Ur Self A..."
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"One Mic" |
Music videos
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"Got Ur Self A..."
Director: Benny Boom -
"One Mic"
Director: Chris Robinson
Chart History
| Title | Information |
|---|---|
| Stillmatic |
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| "Ether" |
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| "Got Ur Self A..." |
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| "You're da Man" |
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| "One Mic" |
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| "Rule" |
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External links
Lyrics links
- from The Original Hip-Hop Lyrics Archive (OHHLA) - includes most other Nas lyrics, including remixes and cameos, as well as lyrics of many other rappers.
- Nas Discography @ TheRapCella.com